Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders and players of dramatically different ages and skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, in team formats, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with increased availability of golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well-known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golf's popularity in recent years both in the United States and across the world.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and recently, the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with some balls designed to complement specific swing speeds and/or other player characteristics or preferences, e.g., with some balls designed to fly farther and/or straighter, some designed to provide higher or flatter trajectories, some designed to provide more spin, control, and/or feel (particularly around the greens), etc. A host of swing aids and/or teaching aids also are available on the market that promise to help lower one's golf scores.
Being the sole instruments that set golf balls in motion during play, golf clubs also have been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen improvements in putter designs, golf club head designs, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements and/or characteristics of the golf club and/or characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, ball spin rate characteristics, ball fitting technology, etc.).
Golfers tend to be sensitive to the “feel” of a golf club, particularly with respect to putters. The “feel” of a golf club comprises the combination of various component parts of the club and various features associated with the club that produce the sensory sensations experienced by the player when a ball is swung at and/or struck. Club “feel” is a very personal characteristic in that a club that “feels” good to one user may have totally undesirable “feel” characteristics for another. Club weight, weight distribution, aerodynamics, swing speed, ball characteristics, and the like all may affect the “feel” of the club as it swings and strikes a ball. “Feel” also has been found to be related to the visual appearance of the club and the sound produced when the club head strikes a ball to send the ball in motion.
To successfully putt a ball in the hole, the ball must be launched at a proper combination of speed and direction to arrive at the intended destination. While some errors in putt speed and/or direction may be the result of mental or physical mistakes by the player (e.g., mis-hits, mis-alignment, etc.), the putter also can contribute to inconsistencies in ball launch speed and/or launch direction that result in missed putts. For example, if the putter head twists in the player's hands before or during ball contact, this may cause the ball to start out “off-line,” with some undesired spin and/or at the wrong speed. As another example, if the ball is launched with backspin or bounces excessively during the early phase of its locomotion, this can cause inconsistencies in ball speed. All of these things may result in missed putts and inconsistent putting.
While technological improvements to putter designs have been made, because of the very personal nature of the putting stroke and the “feel” aspects of putting a golf ball, no single putter structure is best suited for all players. New putter structures that change the look and feel of the club are welcomed by at least some players. Moreover, technological advances that provide improved and more consistent initial ball launch direction and launch speed would be a welcome advance in the art.